Apparatus for reshaping and compressing plantation cotton-bales.



J. L. SHEPPARD. APPARATUS FOR RESHAPING AND GOMPRESSING PLANTATIONCOTTON BALBS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1913.

Patented Sept. 2, 1918.

5 SEEBTSSHEBT 1,

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH :0, WASHINGTON, D c,

J. L. SHEPPARD.

APPARATUS FOR RESHAPING AND GOMPRESSING PLANTATION COTTON BALES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1913.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

v 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gunman INVENTOR WITNESSES A Home COLUMBIA PLANOGHAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D.c.

J. L. SHEPPARD. APPARATUS FOR RESHAPING AND GOMPRESSING PLANTATIONCOTTON BALES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.10,1913.

1 071 81 1 Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W NES 5 5 jam, 4% W J. L. SHEPPARD.

APPARATUS FOR RESHAPING AND COMPRESSING PLANTATION COTTON BALES.

APPLICATION IILED MAR.10.1918.

1 ,071 ,81 1 Patented Sept. 2, 1913,

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES NVENTOR Ma W "OLUMHIA PLANOORAPII C0.,WASIHNGTON, n, c.

J. L. SHEPPARD.

APPARATUS FOR RESHAPING AND GOMPRESSING PLANTATION COTTON BALES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.10,1918.

5 SHRINK-SHEET 5.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. SHEPPARD, OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTHTO 0. B. HUIET, OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND THREE-FOURTHS TO JOHNL. SHEPPARD, JR, F NEWARK, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR RESHAPING AND COMPRESSING PLANTATION COTTON-BALES.

1 o 0/? H /LOYIL it may concern lie it known that I, Jonx L. Snnrrxnn,of Charleston, in the county of Charleston and State of South Carolina,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forReshaping and Compressing Plantation Cotton-Bales; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for reshaping andcompressing plantation cotton bales, the object being to provide meansfor reducing the plantation bales to uniform size as to length and widthforcing the reshaped bale from the reshaping press into a compresslocated in a plane below the shaping press, and finally eject ing thecompressed bale.

My invention consists in the parts and combination of parts and in thedetails of construction as will be more fully explained and pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in elevation of myimproved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a view in section through the con'ipressbox and the box carrying frame. Fig. 3 an enlarged "iew in plan of thereshaping press showing the jaws open. Fig. l is a view in verticalsection through the reshaping press showing the jaws closed. Fig. 5 is aview in horizontal section showing the jaws open. Fig. (3 is a view inplan of the frame carrying the compress boxes. Fig. 7 is an end view ofone of the boxes. Fig. 8 is a view in cross of a box and platen showingthe bale before compression. Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the balecompressed and the sides of the box open. Fig. 10 is a plan view of oneof the platens. Fig. l1 is a plan view of one of the boxes with the baletherein and showing the bands in place. Fig. 12 is a view of an ejector,and Figs. 13, 1.4. and are views of a modified form of box.

My apparatus comprises a reshaping press 1 located preferably on thefloor above the compress The reshaping press consists of a framecomposed of top and bottom plates 3 and 4;, the free front end of thetop plate being turned upwardly as shown in Fig. 1. Secured to the topand bottom plates are the posts on which the jaws G Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed March 10, 1913.

Patented Sept. 2, .1 913.

Serial No. 753,372.

are mounted. The posts are preferably mounted to revolve. or ifpreferred may be provided with sleeves 5 which revolve and the jaws aresubstantially L-shape as shown in Fig. 3, and each is provided on itsouter face with a rib 7 having a slot 8 through which the posts pass,the said posts acting as fulcrums on which the jaws (3 move and turn.The jaws are as wide as the space between the top and bottom plates -1and 4 and are connected at their rear ends to the toggle levers 9. whichlatter are centrally secured to the front end of the plunger 10. Thisplunger, which may be actuated by steam or water in the well knownmanner, preferably extends through the cylinder 11 as shown in Figs. -land 5 so as to guide the plunger and prevent undue wear on the frontgland of the cylinder. Located intermediate the top and bottom plates 3and lof the reshaping press and also between the jaws, is the lixed rearwall 12 of the press chamber. This rear wall I? is slotted for thepassage of the lugs 15:3 on the end extension ll of the rear wall, andthe rcarwardly extending lugs bear against the springs 15, which latterare secured at their lower ends to the lower plate t or other part ofthe apparatus, and operate to normally hold the end extensions in theirprojected positions against the jaws as shown in Fig. 5. The lower platel; is provided in advance of the rear wall with an opening 10 whichlatter conforms as to size with the length and width of the compressboxes to be hereinafter referred to. Mounted in the rear wall 13 of thepress box is a series of lingers 17 connected at their rear ends to thesliding frame 18. 'lhese lingers are approximately as long as theopening 10 is wide, so that when they are projected as in Fig. 5, theywill form a bottom on which the plantation bale will rest during the.process of reshaping the same. The lingers are all connected at theirrear ends to the frame 18 which latter is mounted to slide in a slot inthe lower plate 4, and is provided with upturned ends 20 and 2t, whichlatter are located in the path of movement of the toggle joint of thelevers f) as shown in Fig. t. it will therefore be seen that in theopening movement of the jaws t3, which is accomplished of course by aforward movement of plunger 10, the toggle joint strikes the upturnedend 20 of sliding frame 18 and moves the latter forwardly, and in theclosing movement of the jaws, and after the latter have closed onto thebale sufficiently to hold the same, the toggle joint strikes the rearupturned end of the frame 18, and moves it rearwardly thus retractingthe fingers and leavingthe reshaped bale free to be ejected into thecompress box below. The front or free ends of the jaws 6 are at rightangles to the main bodies of the jaws, and when open, as shown in Fig.5, are separated sufficiently to permit of the entrance of the longestplan tation bale. Located in front of the opening 16 in the lower plate1 of the press frame, is a gate 22 hinged at one end to the base plate23 which latter is slidingly mounted in a grooved way in said lowerplate. The gate 22 and plate 23 are also connected by toggle levers 2 1(see Fig. l) which are operated by the pitman 25', whereby the gate maybe raised and lowered and the gate and its base plate moved rearwardlyso as to bring the gate within the plane of the outer bent ends of thejaws 6. The operation of this portion of the apparatus is as follows: Aplantation bale of any size is placed between the jaws, against the rearwall 12 of the box, after which the gate 22 is turned to its uprightposition, and slid inwardly toward and against the outer side of thebale. If desired the bale may be placed on gate 22 and entered into thereshaping chamber by elevating the gate. By now actuating the plunger 12the jaws 6 are first turned on the posts 5, in a direction to close thejaws against the ends of the bale. This presses the ends of the baletoward each other, but as the bands have been previously removed, themass is comparatively free to flow and conform itself to the shape ofthe reshaping press chamber. While the jaws are closing they are alsobeing pulled rearwardly, but the rearward movement is not completeduntil after the jaws have fully closed. As the free ends of the jaws 6approach each other they overlap the gate 22 which latter operates toclose the space between the free ends of the jaws and prevent the cottonfrom bulging at this point, and as the jaws approach their closedposition and after they have fully closed and are pulled rearwardlyduring their final pressing movement, they draw the gate 22 back withthem. As the jaws close they force the end extensions of the rear wall12 toward each other, and pull the gate 22 back toward the rear wall sothat when the jaws have fully closed, the mass or bale of cotton betweenthe jaws has been reshaped to conform to the length and width of thecompress boxes. As the jaws approach their closed positions the upturnedend 21 of the frame 18, is engaged by the hinge joint of the togglelevers 9 and is drawn rearw'ardly thus ulling the bale supportingfingers from under the reshaped bale and leaving the latter free to beejected from the reshaping press into the box of the compress, by theplaten 23 on plunger 24 which latter may be actuated by steam or water.

In order to prevent lateral stresses on the plunger 10, the pinconnecting the toggle lovers 9 to the plunger 10, moves in guide ways inthe upper and lower plates 3 and 4, so that the movement of the joint ofthe toggle levers is a straight back and forth movement.

Located below the reshaping press is the frame 25 carrying a series ofcompress boxes 26. In the present instance I have shown three boxes butI may use two or more than three. The frame 25 is mounted to turn andthe boxes thereon are so located that when one box is under thereshaping press another will be immediately over the liltltell orplungers of a compress and uncer the head 25 of the compress, so thatone bale may be compressed while another is being reshaped and fed to acompress box. Each compress box 26 is made of metal preferably of steelopen at its top and bot-tom. The lower section of the box is madepreilerably an integral structure, with holes therein if desired, andthe upperpart made of two sections 26" hinged to the lower section asshown in Fig. 8, so that they may be released and thrown to openposition as in Fig. 9. One hinged section 26 is provided with a lockinglatch or hook 27 preferably one at each end, and the other with a lug orkeeper 28 adapted to be engaged by the latch for locking the hingedmembers in their closed positions. Each latch 27 is provided with amember 29 pivoted thereto and depending therefrom, so as to be engagedby the tripping fingers 30 on the ends of the platen 31. These fingersproject through slots 32 in the ends of the box, in the plane of thelower ends of the members 29, so that when the platen reaches apredetermined height within the box 26, the tripping fingers will engagethe depending members 29 and elevate the hooks 27 sufficiently todisengage the latter from their lugs or keepers 28, and thus allow theexpansion of the bale to throw the hinged sections from their closed totheir open position. The hinged sections are not released however untilthe lower edge of the bale is slightly above the top of the lowerintegral sect-ion of the box,

and when the bale is released by the openinto contact with the fixedejectors 32 and rolled from off the box.

In the preferred construction shown in Fig. 2, I have shown the platen33 of the compress, fixed to the compress plunger-s so that the bottomof the compress boxes are normally open, the friction of the cotton withthe sides and ends of the box preventing the cotton from moving anylower into the boxes than .it is forced by the ejector plunger 23 of thereshaping press, but if de sired .I' may use platen 33 separate from thecompress plunger, and forming the bottom of the compress boxes as shownin Figs. 8 and S). In this construction each box has its platen, andeach platen is provided with shoulders which overhang the shoulders 96at the bottom of the box. Again instead of providing the box with slotsfor the passage of the tripping fingers 30 on the platen, the ends ofthe box may be solid as shown in Figs. 13, 1% and 15, and other meansprovided for releasing the locking hooks.

After the plantation bale stripped of its hands has been forced into thecompress box, and while under the pressure of the ejector plunger 23,the halo bands 3 are passed through the holes in the hinged top sectionof the compress boxes and through grooves in the underside of theejector plunger 23, over the cotton, and the box is moved with the bandsso placed, around to the compress plunger. After the cotton has beencompressed and while it is still under compression, but after the hingedsides have been forced open, the bands are passed tln'ough grooves inthe platen 33, or platen 33 as the case may be, under the halo andsecured in the usual manner by ties, after which the compress plungersare lowered thus permitting the box with the compressed bale restingthereon to be moved under the fixed ejectors 32, which as beforeexplained roll the bale off the box, after which the sides are closed upby hand or otherwise and is then ready to receive the cotton from thereshaping press.

\Vith this improvement plantation bales of any size and shape may bereshaped and compressed to uniform shape and of any density obtainablein the compress.

It is evident that many slight changes might be resorted to in therelative arrangement of parts shown and described without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I would have it understoodthat I do not wish to confine myself to the exact construction andarrangement of parts shown and described, but

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus for reshaping and compressing plantation cotton bales,the combination of a pair of jaws fulcrumed intermediate their ends,means engaging said jaws at one end for actuating them, a compresslocated in a plane below the jaws for compressing the halo after it hasbeen re shaped between the jaws, and means for forcing the reshapedbales from between said jaws into the compress below the jaws.

2. ln apparatus for reshaping and compressing plantation cotton bales,the combi nation of a pair of jaws 't'ulcrumed inter-- mediate theirends, means engaging said jaws at one end for actuating them, a compresslocated in a plane below the jaws for compressing the bale after it. hasbeen reshaped between the jaws, the said compress comprising upper andlower platens and a plurality of connected compress boxes mounted to bemoved in succession from under the reshaping jaws to a position betweenthe platens of the compress.

3. ln :1 reshaping press the combination with lixed top and bottomplates. movable jaws intermediate said fixed plates and form ing wallsof the reshaping chamber, the said jaws being fulcrumed intermediatetheir ends, and means engaging the jaws at one cml t'or actuating thcm.

l. in a reshaping press, the combination ol lixed top and bottom platesaml two jaws intermediate said plates, the jaws being fulcrumedintermediate their ends, and the free ends thereof being bent inwardlytoward each other, and actuating means connected with the rear ends ofthe jaws for turning them on their fulcrums and for moving them rea rwardl y.

5. In a reshaping press, the combination of lixed top and bottom plates,two L-shaped jaws located between said plates. a fixed rear wallintern'lediate the two jaws, the jaws being 'lulcrumed intern'lediatetheir ends, and means (amnecting the rear ends of the jaws for actuatingthem.

(3. In a reshaping press, the combination of two L-shaped jaws having aclosing and opening movement and an endwise movement, the said jawsbeing 'tulcrun'ied intermediate their ends and means engaging the rearends of the jaws for actuating them.

7. In a reshaping press, the combination of two L-shapcd jaws 'lulcrumedintermediate their ends, a fixed rear wall having extensible endslocated intermediate the two jaws, and means conntaeted with both jawsat their rear ends for opening and closing them.

8. In a reshaping press, the combination of two L-shaped jaws fulcrumedintermediate their ends, a hinged gate adapted to be overlapped by thefront ends of the jaws and complete the closure of the chambers at thefront, and means connected with the rear ends of the jaws for openingand closing them.

9. In a reshaping press, the combination of two L shaped jaws fulcrumedintermediate their ends and means connected with the rear ends of thejaws for rocking the latter on their fulcrums.

10. In a reshaping press, the combination of two L-shaped jaws tulcrumedintermediate their ends, a hinged gate, means for raising and loweringthe gate, and means for closing the jaws whereby the gate will beoverlapped by the L-shaped ends of the jaws.

11. In a reshaping press, the combination of two L-shaped jaws fulcrumedintermediate their ends and having a swinging movement toward and awayfrom each other and also having a longitudinally sliding movement, arear wall intermediate the jaw, a sliding base adjacent the front endsof the jaw, a gate hinged to said base and adapted to be overlapped bythe jaws when the latter are closed, and means for swinging the jaws ontheir pivots and for moving them and the gate rearwardly.

12. In a reshaping press, the combination of a base plate having anopening therein, jaws located on opposite sides of the open ing, meansadapted to project across said opening and form a support for the haloprior to the closing movement of the jaws, means for opening and closingthe jaws and means for retracting and projecting the bale supportingmeans, whereby when the plantation bale has been reshaped it will be unsupported below and may be ejected through 35 the opening.

40 fulcrumed intermediate their ends, means adapted to project acrossthe opening and form a support for the bale prior to the closingmovement of the jaws, means for opening and closing the jaws, means forretracting and projecting the bale supporting means, and means forejecting the bale through the opening in the base plate.

14. In apparatus for reshaping and compressing plantation bales, thecombination with a reshaping press, and a compress, the lattercomprising a plunger, a platen, a

head and a frame carrying a plurality of compress boxes, into which thecotton is ejected from the reshaping press, each box having hingedsections at its upper edge, means for locking the hinged sections inclosed position and means for automatically unlocking said hingedsections at the termination of the upward movement of the compressplaten.

15. In apparatus for reshaping and compressing plantation cotton balesthe combi nation of a reshaping press and a compress consisting of aplunger, a head, a platen and. a frame carrying a series of boxesadapted to be brought consecutively under the re shaping press and thehead of the compress, the upper portion of each box being made insections hinged to the main portion of the box, means for locking thehinged sections together and means carried by the platen of the compressfor actuating the locking means to release the hinged sect-ions.

16. Apparatus for reshaping and compressing plantation cotton balesconsisting of a reshaping press and a compress the latter consisting ofa frame carrying a series of boxes into which the cotton is forced "fromthe reshaping press, a platen, a plunger, and a head, the upper end ofeach box being made of hinged sections, a latch secured to one sectionand engaging a keeper on the other section and means carried by theplaten of the compress for disconnecting the latch from its keeperwhereby the hinged sides will be permitted to open leaving thecompressed bale free to be discharged.

17. In a reshaping press the combination of two L-shaped jaws fulcrumedintermediate their ends and adapted to have a closing and openingmovement and an endwise movement, and means connecting both jaws wherebya single stroke rearwardly shortens and narrows the bale.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN L. SHEPPARD.

Witnesses S. C. HILL, A. V. BRIGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

